Rebel Soul Music

release description

Martin Luther needs to produce some righteous music in order to live up to the standards set by his namesake. Rebel Soul Music, Luther's second solo album seems to be proof positive that he is both a strong thinker and a deft musician. The choir-boy-turned-soul-rebel recently joined The Roots on their Okay Player tour, bringing his soulful vocals to the crew's fiery live show and injecting a gospel feel into to the band's conscious hip-hop. Luther's sophomore set fearlessly combines rock, soul and funk elements, representing the many sides of Martin Luther's musical persona. The song "Daily Bread" features a mellow hip-hop beat with a tense guitar refrain and wild P-Funk psychedelics. It's the perfect backing for a voice with as many stories to tell as Martin Luther's.

tracks

press

"Like the black rock scene itself, Martin Luther — one of its most talented stars — has been producing sizzling music that's gone pretty much unnoticed. But it should not go unheralded. "Rebel Soul Music" recalls the heavenly voice of Seal, the guitar-infused funk of Prince and the sexuality of D'Angelo, but it still sounds original (unlike a lot of neosoul artists, who seem to be borrowing too liberally from the past). The pressure-cooker "Growing Pains" and the sexy "Truth or Dare" are standouts on a stellar album." — MSNBC.COM (Best Albums of 2004)

"When you are named after one of the great civil-rights leaders of the 20th century, and your music strives to take on such rebel soul men as Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, and Prince, that's a lot to put on your guitar-strapped shoulders. But on his impressive second CD, released on his own Rebel Soul Records, Martin Luther McCoy does his forbears proud with insightful, socially conscious lyrics and the kind of righteously retro funk-rock that Lenny Kravitz wishes he could make. "In a sea of black music the water is so deep, won't you dive in?" Luther sings on the hip-hop-rocking title track, offering a more nourishing alternative for those tired of the "fast food" being spoon-fed to them on the R&B radio. And there is plenty to feast on here, from the falsetto-kissed Earth, Wind and Fire-inspired of "Rise" to the Princely sex suite of "Lust" and "Truth or Dare." With the keen urban awareness he displays on cuts like "Home", "Sleep Walking" and "Miss America" ("Urban dreams manicured poverty is what it seems"), Luther clearly hopes that his music shall help his people overcome." — Chuck Arnold (3.5 out of 4 stars), PEOPLE MAGAZINE